This invention relates to a head-protective helmet including a geodesic dome. Further, this invention relates to a geodesic dome in combination with other elements comprising a head-protective helmet.
Numerous head-protective helmets are known to the art, such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, firefighters, helmets, industrial helmets (sometimes referred to as hard hats), fighter pilot helmets, and other military helmets.
An example of a firefighter's head-protective helmet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,016 entitled PROTECTIVE HELMET ASSEMBLY INCLUDING RELEASABLE HEAD RETAINING ASSEMBLY, patented Sep. 3, 1991, Christopher E. Coombs, inventor. This patent is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and this patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference as if fully reproduced herein. FIGS. 1 and 2 of this incorporated patent are reproduced herein as FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIG. 1, the head-protective helmet is indicated by general numerical designation 10 and includes an outer shell 12, sometimes referred to as the hard shell, an attenuation liner assembly 14, a brim 16 circumscribing the outer shell 12, a pivotally mounted transparent visor 18, a chin strap 22 including a chin cup 24. The attenuation liner assembly 14, FIG. 2, includes a non-resilient foam liner 26, sometimes referred to as an inner impact cap, frictionally fitted within the outer shell 12, with the exterior of the foam liner 26 corresponding to the interior surface of the outer shell 12. The foam liner or inner impact cap 26 is retained frictionally within the outer shell 12 with such frictional retention being augmented by the cooperating patches of hook and loop fastener material generally indicated as 40 in FIG. 1. The non-resilient foam liner 26, or inner impact cap, is for absorbing force or energy applied to the helmet 10 by being compressed which attenuates force or energy that would otherwise be transferred to the head of the wearer of the helmet upon, for example, a falling object striking the head-protective helmet 10. The outer shell 12 typically is made of a hard plastic such as a suitable high temperature thermoset which may be filled with glass or other fibers for increased strength, and the inner impact cap 26 typically is made of a suitable non-resilient or compressible material such as, for example, rigid polyurethane foam.
While the head-protective helmets known to the art, such as the firefighter's helmet disclosed in the incorporated patent and shown in FIG. 1, have worked well for their intended purpose, there still exists a need in the head-protective helmet art for a head-protective helmet providing increased protection against force or energy that would be applied to the head of the helmet wearer, such as by falling objects. Also there is a further need in the head-protective helmet art for a head-protective helmet providing increased resistance against a falling object penetrating the helmet and striking the head of a wearer of the helmet.